1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an umbrella, and more particularly to an umbrella having an improved resilient stave support assembly.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typical umbrella devices comprise a foldable whale bone including two or more sections that may be folded to a short and compact configuration. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, illustrated is a typical umbrella including a ring 11 secured on top of a handle or a rod 10, and two further rings 20, 30 slidably engaged on the rod 10 and movable along the rods 10 for opening or folding the whale bones. One or more springs 40 are engaged on the rod 10 and engaged with the rings 11, 20, 30 for applying a resilient or biasing force against the rings 11, 20, 30.
The whale bones of the umbrella includes a number of main staves 91 each having an inner end rotatably or pivotally secured to the ring 20 and each having an outer end, a number of stave supports 92 each having an inner end rotatably or pivotally secured to the ring 30 and each having an outer end rotatably or pivotally secured to the inner portion of the main stave 91 with a pivot pin or a bracket 93. A number of upper staves 95 each having an inner end rotatably or pivotally secured to the ring 11 and each having an outer end rotatably or pivotally secured to the middle portion of the main stave 91 with a pivot pin or a bracket 94. A number of outer staves 98 each includes an inner end rotatably or pivotally secured to the outer end of the main stave 91 with a bracket 96, and a number of intermediate staves 97 each includes an inner end rotatably or pivotally secured to the outer portion of the upper stave 95 and each includes an outer end rotatably or pivotally secured to the inner portion of the outer stave 98 or pivotally coupled to the bracket 96.
However, the whale bone device includes a number of stave members 91, 95, 97, 98 and a number of stave supports 92 that are made of metal materials, such that the whale bone device includes a great weight that is adverse for transportation purposes and that is not good for being held and operated by the children or the old people.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional umbrella devices.
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an umbrella having an improved resilient stave support assembly for facilitating the operation of the umbrella.
The other objective of the present invention is to provide an umbrella having a whale bone device made of composite materials or fiber reinforcing materials for increasing the strength of the whale bone device and for reducing the weight of the whale bone device.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided an umbrella comprising a rod, a first ring secured on top of the rod, a second ring and a third ring slidably engaged on the rod, a plurality of main staves each including an inner end rotatably securing to the second ring and each including a middle portion, a plurality of upper staves pivotally coupled between the first ring and the main staves, and a plurality of stave supports each including an inner end rotatably coupled to the third ring and each including an outer end solidly secured to the middle portion of the main staves.
The main staves and the stave supports are made of composite materials. The stave supports each includes a barrel provided on the outer end thereof and secured to the main staves respectively. The stave supports each includes a coupling member provided between the stave supports and the barrels thereof respectively.
The third ring includes a plurality of grooves formed therein, the inner ends of the stave supports each includes a head provided thereon and rotatably engaged in the grooves of the third ring respectively. The heads of the stave supports are preferably made of composite materials.
The inner ends of the main staves each includes a coupler provided thereon and made of composite materials. The upper staves each includes an outer end, the main staves each includes a bracket provided thereon and made of composite materials and pivotally secured to the outer ends of the upper staves respectively.
The outer ends of the main staves each includes a coupler provided thereon and made of composite materials, the umbrella further includes a plurality of outer staves each having an inner end and each having a bracket provided on the inner end thereof and rotatably secured to the outer ends of the upper staves respectively, and includes a plurality of intermediate staves pivotally coupled between the upper staves and the brackets of the outer staves respectively.
Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of a detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to accompanying drawings.